ELON — To Elon University baseball coach Mike Kennedy, the needle on the level of expectations hasn’t shifted a bit.

But with a pitching-rich rotation and an influx of players described as difference-makers for the lineup, the Phoenix has gained renewed preseason respect and certainly hasn’t gone unnoticed outside of Latham Park.

“You want the expectations,” senior pitcher Dylan Clark said, “but you also want to live up to them.”

Elon, which has narrowly missed spots in the NCAA Tournament the past two years, begins its season today by facing Marist as part of the three-day Elon Invitational. The Phoenix has been dubbed as preseason favorite in the Southern Conference by a poll of the league’s coaches.

“Our (expectations) are always the same,” said Kennedy, whose team has won three of the last five regular-season conference crowns.

Coming off a 33-26 season, the pitching staff might be the most eye-catching part. The returning group includes starters Clark (who’ll start the opener), Kyle Webb, David Whitehead and Spencer Medick along with bullpen stalwarts John Antonelli, Andrew MacDonald and closer Nate Young.

Freshman left-hander Tyler Manez could provide a boost, while junior lefty Ryan Pennell’s role could grow as a reliever.

Kennedy, in his 16th season in charge of the program at his alma mater, said his emphasis on pitching makes him look first at that aspect of the roster. He generally likes what he sees — and it’s no wonder because pitchers accounting for all except one of the team’s victories last season are back.

“On paper, if you look at our strength, it’s going to be the same thing,” he said. “At times, we’re going to be really good on the mound. I’m a pitching guy, and I think that’s going to win championships.”

Kennedy said he was encouraged during the fall practice season and in recent weeks on how some of the batters have fared against some of the top pitchers in intrasquad work. Swim, too, said it was noticeable about how there was a balance between the offense and the pitching.

Yet an overhaul in the infield might be most noticeable.

Transfer Antonio Alvarez has arrived by way of Miami Dade College after a 2011 stop at North Carolina State and he’s pegged to be the shortstop, displacing senior incumbent Chris Bresnahan. Wil Leathers comes from Spartanburg Methodist, a junior college, to be the second baseman. That moves junior Sebastian Gomez, a two-year starter as a second baseman, to third base.

Junior Ryan Kinsella returns at first base, though Kennedy said freshman Danny Lynch’s offensive punch makes him a possible addition to the lineup either in the field or as the designated hitter.

Page 2 of 3 - Swim, who turned down a chance to turn professional after he was drafted in June by the St. Louis Cardinals, was a first-team all-conference selection last year, when he batted a team-best .357. Kinsella’s eight home runs accounted for almost one-quarter of the team’s 2012 long balls as he batted .316 with a team-high 54 runs batted in.

The outfield is anchored by senior center fielder Niko Fraser, a three-year starter coming off a concussion-interrupted season. From there, several options exist, including sophomore twins Blaine Bower and Quinn Bower.

Casey Jones and Joey Tomko, who were primarily third basemen last season as freshmen while providing key contributions, could land in the lineup as outfielders, Kennedy said.

“The good thing is going into the season we feel we have a lot of competition,” Kennedy said.

Whitehead, a junior, said the newcomers have connected well with the veterans and he senses the right ingredients in place.

Swim said: “A good mix of our older and younger guys. The older guys have done a great job of showing the way.”

Elon’s schedule is typically filled with marquee non-conference dates, including eight matchups against Atlantic Coast Conference foes, a three-game series at Louisville, a pair of games against NCAA Tournament regular East Carolina, collisions with Kentucky (which has its highest preseason ranking in school history) and Kansas State (which has been to three of the past four NCAA Tournaments), and a matchup with Big South Conference power Coastal Carolina.

“I don’t think we’re going to sneak up on anybody with the attention our pitching is getting,” Clark said.

Elon’s reputation has been built on five NCAA Tournament appearances from 2002-10. Maintaining the credibility is something important to the Phoenix.

“It seems that way every year,” Swim said of the responsibility that comes with upholding a tradition. “I guess that’s good for us. There’s that pressure to perform.”

Whitehead said: “Everybody else kind of picked us to do well. We know what our goals are. We can’t let what everyone else says affect us.”

With a Southern Conference regular-season championship not enough to lodge an NCAA at-large bid in 2011 and finishing one game out of first place in 2012, the Phoenix realizes there’s no room for unnecessary hiccups along the way.

“We were maybe one game away both years,” Clark said. “We know we have to lock in for every game. The mindset is 100 percent made up to get to the postseason.”